Romanticist
by Saraha
Summary: Chibizoo's Unofficial YGO FF Contest Entry. AU. Yaoi. Ryou POV. Ryou longs to understand what love is and why none seem able to tell. Many/Ryou


Saraha: Oi, that took a lot out of me...  
Well, here it is my entry into Chibizoo's unoffical  
FF.net Yugioh fanfic contest! It took forever to  
write because I kept changing which one shot I wanted  
to enter (I have two more that I didn't use...) and  
then it was more than 1000 words over so I had to cut  
out a bunch of stuff and it's now under the limit by  
five words... *sweatdrop*  
  
Anyway, I love writing Ryou POV so this is written  
as so. It's AU. Very, very, AU. Some of the people I  
made relatives might in fact scare you off if your like  
that.  
  
It's also very yaoi. That's boyXboy people, don't like, don't read!  
  
A tinge of het is also mixed in but no yuri this time. Just didn't  
have a place for it.  
  
Scared yet? *evil grin*  
  
------------------------  
Romanticist  
------------------------  
  
Love.  
  
Everyone in the universe seems to spend there life looking  
for that one special person, that one being that makes  
everything worth while.   
  
The person they could truly there love.  
  
I was born and lived in Japan for the first five years of  
my life. My parents were professors at a university in Tokyo.  
I would often have to tag along with one of them when they   
taught, they didn't want to leave me with a babysitter. Father  
was tall and slim with dark navy hair tied back in a tail  
and silver framed glasses on the edge of his nose and always  
seemed tidy. Mother was fairly curvy with white as clouds hair  
that fell all the way down her back in soft ripples or a neat  
braid when she was working, her eyes were soft honey and she spent   
many days off in the park reading a novel under the shade of  
a sakura tree. We lived fairly happily in a cozy house just  
outside of Tokyo for as long as I could remember. I had been  
a fairly happy child and I never would have guessed that a  
mere week after I turned six my mother would be killed in  
a car accident as she walked home from the store.  
  
It was pure misery with her gone and I could see clearly how  
bad off my father was without her. He spent increasing amounts  
of time in his study and one day as I sat quietly coloring in  
the living room a loud noise filled the house before falling   
silent again.  
  
My father's suicide didn't hit quite as hard as mother's death.  
  
It seemed almost expected.  
  
It ended up I was being placed in the care of my uncle,  
a man who I had never met because he still lived in America.  
  
Days later found me at the airport with my parent's lawyer awaiting  
him. I wasn't sure what to expect in him, all I knew was my life  
was changing drastically.  
  
My uncle, who insists I call him by his first name, Pegasus,  
was a slim man in his early twenties with silver hair a few  
inches longer than his chin and bright amber eyes. He was  
an artist and I found his house in the small city he lived in  
was full of paintings. He was eccentric and highly intelligent  
with the strangest quirks that made him incredibly charming to   
all he met.   
  
Pegasus was the one who first planted the ideas of romance and  
love into my head, one day years later when I was near ten.  
  
we would spend the lazy mornings on Saturday sprawled on the  
couch watching Funny Bunny reruns. Somehow, though my memory  
is faint of the event, we got onto the topic of my parents  
which we usually avoided. I asked my uncle why my father would  
do such a thing. His answer was simple. Overwelming love.  
  
I set about on my quest for answers. Books and movies showed  
people in love all the time but, you could read the words  
or see the pictures and know how beautiful they were and still  
not make any sense of it.  
  
I need to experience it firsthand.  
  
At the age of eleven I had few friends, I was too quiet for most.  
  
My best friend was named Yuugi, he was optimistic and cheerful  
with bright violet eyes and wild hair. He had a twin sister  
named Mai whom I was also friends with. One day found Yuugi  
and I playing hide and go seek in the park. True, we were out  
growing the game by now as preteens but we couldn't help but  
enjoy the last wistful strands of childhood. Mai was the seeker  
now and we hide together because it was a known fact that if we hid  
separately we would never both be found. Hiding up in a willow  
tree had been a stroke of genius to us and holding onto each  
other for support he tried to suppress our giggles, Mai still  
hadn't found us after so long and she was so close it was  
hilarious how bad at the game she was. And then for a moment  
she drew close and Yuugi in his fun lost his grip and fell  
onto me and for a moment in our breathless innocent fun our  
lips connected for what seemed like an eternity.  
  
It was startling, the feeling was like the world melted around  
us leaving us in each others arms in the embrace of young boys.  
  
I couldn't explain how it felt, it was soft and sweet. The  
word tender comes to mind.  
  
A moment later he sat up, not hastily but his cheeks were flush  
from the experience. We never spoke about the little event to  
anyone but somehow it seemed to change our relationship. We  
were still friends of course but, it was as if we feared something.  
  
We turned thirteen before we knew it and all around us people  
were pairing up it what seemed a childish mockery of the older  
teens coupling.  
  
Of our little group Mai was the first to pair up, 'going with'  
a punk named Jono. Yuugi however seemed to hate the  
idea of his twin being with someone like that and became withdrawn  
from it all. The more I tried the help the worse it seemed to  
become and one day trying again to get him to go to the park  
with me to get his mind off of it something happened once again.  
  
"Yuugi, it'll be fun we can go and do whatever you want."  
  
His eyes, the huge violet orbs blinked twice and suddenly  
before I knew what hit me he kissed me. He was so short  
he had to be on his tiptoes but with the softness only he  
could possess he let our lips meet eyes closed gently like  
a small angel hovering over. All too soon he back away his  
shy blush cast over his cheeks. Staring at the ground he  
began to stammer nervously, his eyes suddenly wide like  
he couldn't believe what he'd just done.  
  
"Ryou... I-I'm I didn't... I.."  
  
Was I blushing too? I couldn't tell anymore.   
  
"It-It's alright. I don't mind."  
  
He stared up at me now eyes filled with tears.  
  
"But... I don't like you like that Ryou... I don't know  
why I did that..."  
  
He burst into tears than and before he could run off again  
I pulled him into a hug, both of us kneeling on the ground.  
  
"It's alright. Really, I don't mind."  
  
I reached into my pocket and offered him my handkerchief  
which he took reluctantly. I bit my lip before I continued.  
  
"Would you mind.. If I told you I felt the same?"  
  
He shook his head softly and in response I kissed him.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
That was the way it was for a while, both of us knew we  
didn't love each other like that but, there was love and  
devotion. Finally after a year of hiding it all we were  
open to each other again. I discovered not long after that  
Yuugi had feelings for a girl named Anzu. She was very sweet  
and the spunkiest girl I'd seen ever. She had short brown  
hair and the icy blue eyes and the kind of energy that  
any athlete would be jealous of. It took a whole month's  
worth of bugging Yuugi between are bouts of kisses to  
get him to even talk to her. When he finally did though  
they seemed inseparably cute and were a self-proclaimed  
couple in no time. It was the welcome change between  
Mai and Jono constant bickering to see a couple so  
devoted and kind.  
  
I was happy for them, I guess. But I missed Yuugi's kisses.  
  
It was an unspoken agreement between Yuugi and I, once  
he began to date Anzu he no longer need the comforted  
we gave each other with our shy kisses and holding hands  
when no one was about. As happy as I was for him I still  
felt empty going back to just friends. It was a month into  
my depressed state that I met him.  
  
"Hey you."  
  
Startled I turned seeing before me now, the quiet fifth teen  
year old, was a man. Well, more or less he was a tall teen  
with the build of a man coming strong. He was much taller  
than me wearing jeans and a black T-shirt that was a   
comfortable fit under a leather jacket. He had gray eyes  
and Brown hair that had been gelled up into a point and   
mildly tanned skin. He wasn't as gorgeous as Yuugi but  
he drew my attention in, his confidence radiated off him  
like sweat in the summer.  
  
"You know Mai right? My buddy Jono is going out with  
her, you know where they are.."  
  
He fished for a name.  
  
"Ryou. My name's Ryou." , I gasped and I thought I saw  
a small grin at my reaction.  
  
"Nice to meet you Ryou, know where they are?"  
  
I shook my head no not trusting my voice at all.   
  
"Damn, well my name is Honda."  
  
He obviously took my stare for all that it was worth.  
  
"Wanna go do something?"  
  
It ended up to 'go do something' meant furiously making out  
on his motorcycle in an alley far from view of others.  
I couldn't complain. His hands traced my face with a soft  
grace before knotting in my shoulder length hair twisting  
the white locks as he pleased his mouth pressed hungrily   
to mine as my tongue begged for entrance into his sweet  
cinnamon mouth.  
  
It was strange though, why had suddenly something so   
simple as a kiss turn from sweet and innocent to   
raging addiction?  
  
"Ryou are you alright?"  
  
I blinked, startled out of my waking dream. Yuugi, Anzu, and  
I were studying at Yuugi's house for the history midterm.  
  
"Huh? Oh! I'm alright Yuugi."  
  
Anzu leaned over slightly looking at me closely as if she saw  
something that no one else could. Yuugi looked at her puzzled.  
I was saved from the duo's questioning by someone coming through  
the door. Mai came in dragging in tow her boyfriend. Jono had  
tussled blonde hair that formed a halo around sleepy puppy brown  
eyes and he dressed in jeans and a oversized green muscle shirt.  
He didn't look very happy to be dragged around by the tall curved  
beauty at all.   
  
"Hi Yuugi, what you guys up to?"  
  
"Studying." , the short teen replied with a light hint of annoyance  
in his voice. "Same as you should be doing Mai. You do realize that  
we have test tomorrow I hope."  
  
"You've told me about a hundred times brother dear. Let  
grandpa know I'm going out, OK? I gotta find my purse."  
  
At that Yuugi looked terrified and he followed after the  
girl obviously upset at the thought of there guardian  
finding out about Mai from him.  
  
"He'll kill me!" , he squeaked from down the hall.  
  
Jono nodded to Anzu and I.  
  
"Hey Anzu, Ryou."  
  
In the silence that followed I thought I saw a grin that mirrored  
Honda's for a moment. He leaned over the coffee table we were at  
and peered into the open history book. As he did so something  
dropped onto my lap. I looked down.  
  
It was a crumpled note.  
  
Looking back up Jono caught my eye for a moment before  
glancing at the text book.  
  
"I'll never survive that test... Maybe I'll just skip."  
  
Anzu glared at the other teen.  
  
"Jono! You can't just not go when your bad at something!  
You'll never get ahead in life that way!"  
  
"You the voice of reason Mazaki? Geez, such a teacher's  
pet!"  
  
While they argued I carefully unwrapped the note read it  
and glanced towards the window. Interesting, Jono was  
his messenger boy. I didn't want to just leave Yuugi or  
Anzu but...  
  
Suddenly I gathered my notes and stuffed them in my pack.  
  
"Ryou?"  
  
"Sorry Anzu. I kind of got a headache all of the sudden. I  
think I'd better go home and get some sleep, you know?"  
  
"Yeah, Get some rest so you'll be ready for tomorrow.   
I'll tell Yuugi were you went."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
The instant I left the house I didn't feel the guilt  
I'd always thought I'd feel for ditching my friends.  
Instead a flame of freedom seemed to glow in my chest  
powered all the while by the thought of Honda's rough  
but satisfying administrations. I walked to the corner  
and waited there.  
  
soon enough Jono and Mai came along, Mai obviously a  
bit smug from a won argument with Yuugi and Jono  
had a small smile across his lips now for sure.  
  
"Decided to go out with us, huh Ryou? I'm so glad, It'll  
be nice to have someone besides this duo of idiots to  
hang with!"  
  
"Hey, I resent that!", Jono growled.  
  
"Where is Honda anyway?", I asked and Jono responded.  
  
"He's waiting for us at the place. You can ride with  
us."  
  
He pointed to his car, a blue one nearby and we were off.  
  
Jono ended up being a more energetic driver than first expected  
and Mai had taken to demanding control over the radio. I on  
the other hand was perfectly content sitting in the back   
watching things go past the window and wondering why I  
decided to come.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
I turned to the blonde girl.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You know, if I'd had know you were that way I would have  
hooked you up with someone sooner."  
  
I stared at her dumbstruck for a moment.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know, gay. Oh wait. Are you bi?"  
  
I blinked repeatedly. I understood what she was saying of  
course but...  
  
"I.. I've believe love transcends all things.."  
  
Mai looked utterly lost before she shrugged.  
  
"Your life."  
  
For some reason the words stung as I tried not to blush.   
Were my thoughts really that strange and different? Living  
with Pegasus had made me more open minded than most people I knew.  
  
We arrived at the place, an old apartment downtown that they said  
was where Honda lived. It was fairly messy with CDs and clothing  
thrown about and dishes piled high in the sink but, the living  
room was cozy at least cluttered only by a couch and random  
pillows. Jono immediately fell into the old sofa and groggily  
grabbed a pillow. I grin at the picture he made.  
  
Hands suddenly covered my eyes and I gasped surprise and then  
heard a rich chuckle ease from Honda's throat. A moment later  
I find myself feeling it again, the rich over whelming sensation  
of warmth and electricity.  
  
Hours later found us up on the roof, Jono and Mai abandoned  
to the couch where they cuddled at Mai's demand and Jono's  
secret comfort. Honda was sitting cross-legged having pulled  
me into his lap like some sort of doll his arms wrapped around  
while his hands under my shirt. Despite his teasing that drove  
my body insane I stared at the stars leaning back against his chest.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts."  
  
"Honda, do you believe in love?"  
  
He suddenly let go looking aggravated.  
  
"I thought we'd come to an understanding-"  
  
"No, no. Not that. I meant just, in the world   
you know. Not like us. The possibility that people  
could have soul mates out there waiting for them.  
Do you think it's real?"  
  
He seemed relived now, his fear that I would want  
more than comfort and fun seemed to scare him badly.  
He pulled me back to him, my hair brushing against  
his chin as he peered with me at the stars.  
  
"I don't know." he admitted softly. "I've never really  
thought about it. It seems like such a hoax though don't  
you think?"  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, even if you found the person who was perfect in ever  
possible way for you what are the chances they'll love you  
back or that your right for them? People are heartless, Ryou."  
  
We enjoyed the rest of the night there simply talking. Maybe  
that was one of the things real lovers couldn't do, talk so  
openly about anything they wanted.  
  
Honda and I weren't a couple in any thoughts, we  
weren't romanctic nor did we have more emtional attachment  
than friends would.  
  
It was all about fun, it was all about this pain we felt  
but couldn't share. It was about ignoring the very world  
and avoiding our sorrows.  
  
It couldn't last forever though, and it didn't.  
  
I was glad Yuugi never found out about ditching him  
for Honda. I didn't want to hurt him, he didn't  
deserve any pain that the world could cause him.  
  
The day Pegasus told me I had been surprised. I'd  
never put in any thought despite his constant talk  
of returning to Japan who's beauty he assured me was  
far greater than any other, the land my American  
mother had fell in love with.  
  
I never expected such short notice though. It  
seemed my esteemed uncle was such a popular artist  
there that they were opening a wing in a modern  
art museum for him and there was no way we could  
miss that.  
  
Honda's goodbye had been near painless though quite  
unlike him, his kiss was soft and tender compared  
to his usual furious passion. He even went so far  
as to give me something, a small silver pendent  
shaped like a dagger with tiny wings. He  
refused my stammering of it being too much silencing  
me with a mumble of how it was right for me before  
reminding me to write when I had a chance. He grinned  
at my blush as he dropped me in front of the now  
empty Crawford residence, Pegasus who had been sitting  
on the porch steps with a look of bliss happiness turned  
a knowing look to me an eyebrow raised in a perfect arch.  
  
"A gift from your lover, Ryou?"  
  
My blush returned.  
  
"He's not my lover! Just a friend."  
  
He ruffled my hair snickering.  
  
"I know, can't blame me for teasing though."  
  
"I guess... H-has Yuugi come by?"  
  
"No, Mai and Anzu did though. They say he's been crying  
in his room all day, the poor child."  
  
"Should I go see him or would it make it worse?"  
  
"That's up to you Ryou. Better deicide quick though,  
we'll be going to the airport in about an hour and  
we can't wait."  
  
I didn't have to decide though, halfway to Yuugi's  
house he appeared stumbling down the street his  
eyes edge in red from crying and clutching something  
in his hands. I hated seeing him like this and  
even worse all because of me. Before I could  
conceder the consequences I had the smaller teen  
pulled into a hug feeling my own tears fall onto  
his shoulders.  
  
"I'm sorry.", I whispered as I held him and I felt  
myself calm down considerately after he returned the favor.  
  
"It's not your fault, I know it's not. It's fine I just  
miss you already. You won't forget me right?"  
  
We broke apart and I could see the worry in his eyes.  
  
"I could never forget you Yuugi, your the best friend I've ever  
had. I'll write and call whenever I can and maybe we could  
visit each other someday."  
  
There is nothing more to say about those I left behind in America.  
Yuugi and I exchange letters on a regular basis and Honda was happy  
to hear to me cry and moan on the phone each time I called and  
his grin seeming to travel the length of our separation as he  
laughed about how little Ryou couldn't go a week without  
needing his advice.   
  
We arrived in a city called Domino in Japan in the early evening  
with just enough time for Pegasus and I to prepare for the  
gallery opening at the hotel we were staying at until the   
apartment was ready.  
  
I have to admit it was strange seeing Pegasus in a suit but  
he did look quite good in the wine colored formal. Not wanting  
to attract as much attention as he I choose to stay with simple  
black slacks and a white silk shirt, my hair pulled back in a  
low ponytail and out of my face; simple and neat.  
  
This however seemed, so I found, to attract attention instead.  
  
The first thing I noticed about him was the way he carried himself.  
  
He had a walk, the sort of walk that told of confidence and a  
smooth conversations. He wasn't as tall as say Honda was but surely  
he was a good half foot taller than I.  
  
He dressed in black silk, a seductive form fitting outfit that  
fell looser at the ankles and wrist than any were else and his   
skin was perfect and undoubtedly baby soft. His hair was an inky  
raven black and his eyes a cool stunning emerald that once fixated  
on me I couldn't look away.  
  
"Hello.", he said his voice both soft yet masculine, a champagne  
glass held between two graceful fingers. I could see now with him  
this close his full pale pink lips still glossed with the golden  
liquor that remained and I suddenly felt the need to taste it  
right off of him.  
  
"I'm Ryogi Otogi."  
  
"I'm Ryou Crawford. Nice to meet you Otogi-san."  
  
"No need for san, Ryou-chan. Your Pegasus-sama's nephew, ne?  
Here I was betting you were an angel."  
  
I felt my cheeks flush at the comment and Otogi gave me  
a smooth smile his eyes lit with interest. When I was unable  
to find a response he was kind enough to switch topics and  
we spent the better part of an hour discussing my uncle's  
work. Otogi seemed thrilled to be there viewing the paintings  
that Pegasus had crafted with a delight unrivaled. Finally   
Pegasus was able to slip away from the museum owner long  
enough to check up on me. I introduced him to Otogi and I swear  
Otogi smiply glowed.  
  
"It's such an honor to meet you Pegasus-sama, your work is-is  
unbelievable!"  
  
Pegasus raised an eyebrow at the eager young man he as well  
seemed slightly flushed at the worship that filled the man's  
eyes.  
  
"Otogi you say? I believe I've seen your work, most beautiful  
quality art. So young too, how old are you now?"  
  
"Twenty sir. My work is nothing more than amateurish I'm afraid."  
  
"You don't give yourself enough credit!"  
  
The senseless seeming conversation continued for a bit before  
my poor uncle was dragged off again by some suits leaving me  
along again with the charming Otogi.  
  
"He's such a talented man don't you think Ryou-tenshi?"  
  
My cheeks flushed again at the pet names he gave me.  
  
"H-hai..."  
  
"It must be very interesting to live with him, ne? You must  
tell me all about it sometime. Perhaps, if you'd like, you  
will grant me the honor of having you over to my loft  
for dinner? This Friday maybe, around seven?"  
  
I seldom realized he'd taken my hands in his own and images  
of the romance films I'd seen flashed in my mind.  
  
"I-I.."  
  
"Onegai?" he whispered silkily.  
  
To stupefied to reply I nodded and Otogi flashed his million  
dollar smile again. Digging into his pocket he found a business  
card and with a green pen he scribbled his address on the back  
offering in to me; I pocketed wordlessly.  
  
"Until then, beautiful tenshi."  
  
Friday came faster than I realized and before I knew it I found  
myself standing in front of Otogi's home nervously twisting  
my shirt. I had dressed neat but casual, a pair of kaki pants  
and a pale blue button down shirt with Honda's necklace tucked  
under it. I arrived a full thirty minutes early but Otogi with  
his sweet as honey smile seemed to already be waiting to lead   
me into his own private world.  
  
I had never been in a loft but I was absolutely stunned at  
the incredible tasteful home. Otogi insisted that it  
was small and humble compared to most but the tall crème  
colored walls with there angelic paintings and the polished   
wood floors told otherwise when I thought of the simple  
apartment Pegasus and I now lived in.  
  
He lead me to the table, wine freshly poured and plates   
carefully laid. We took are time quietly talking as  
we ate. Throughout the whole time I wasn't so dense as  
to not see the soft meaningful glances or how his  
voice sounded when he utter Ryou-tenshi. Part of me  
enjoyed the attention while somehow also it made me  
nervous and I asked for him to excuse me for a moment  
mumbling something about the bathroom before going off  
in the general direction he gave me. I ended up wandering  
that hall for several minutes taking each stunning painting  
of his that covered the wall. His work was simple compared  
to Pegasus, soft simple lines with earth tones and flesh  
colors wrapped in pastels like a blanket. I was staring at  
one in particular when suddenly a hand brushed across my  
shoulder and I gasped as flirty green eyes set on me again.  
  
"Do you like it, tenshi?" he purred his eyes trapping  
me, forcing me not to look away.  
  
I nodded.  
  
He leaned in close and as if it were a secret whispered  
to me.  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
He cupped my chin softly and slow, I had plenty of time to  
back away if I wanted to. But I didn't.  
  
He kissed me.  
  
It was soft at first like feathers dancing on the breeze  
gentle and soothing to the touch. He grabbed both my hands  
and kissed each never taking his eyes from mine.  
  
"Your beautiful Ryou."  
  
He kissed me again and this time I responded, a soft sigh  
of happiness escaping my lips. The buttons on my shirt  
were slowly being undone, Honda's gift twinkling against  
my pale skin. We kissed again and he lead me to his bed  
with it's silk sheets and the scent of sakura blossoms  
from the trees so far below wafting over us.  
  
Morning found me naked and intertwined in my lover's  
arms the sheets pulled around us like a nest as  
Otogi mutter sweet nothings in my ear like a deranged  
poet. He kissed me softly calling me his glorious muse  
as he got up and began to dress. He turned as he was  
buttoning his shirt watching me lazy on his bed sleepily.  
  
"You must let me paint you Ryou, just as you are now."  
  
For months that's the way it was, I continued to live  
with Pegasus going to school because I had to but spending  
most my waking moments with him. He was incredibly sweet  
all the time, he was the sensitive artist and I his muse,  
the very inspiration for anything he did and loved.  
  
I did allow Otogi to paint me after a while and soon enough  
he had a small collection. He painted me posed with small angel  
wings or in kimonos staring at the moon.n Once he even, much to  
my displeasure, painted me once sleeping nude on the bed drops   
of sweat still cling to me from our love making.  
  
It was six months before finally the one thing that bugged  
me finally broke through my fairy tale dream.   
  
He acted as though I were a china doll that could be broken  
with the slightest brush.  
  
I confronted him about it one day and finally it went through  
my head what I had allowed to happen. I had allowed myself to  
be bought off with sweet words and the kindness only someone  
as sincere and sensitive as an artist could possess.  
  
Otogi the soft spoken but beautiful man that he was only wanted  
that angel, that muse he first saw at that party, Ryou-tenshi,  
not the lonely young man searching for someone to open his soul  
to.  
  
he had come to use buying me off with his sweet words and   
gentle caresses. I had never been able to speak my mind to  
him as I could Honda or even Yuugi. I broke it off much   
to his horror and despair and I pitied him because he didn't  
even seem to notice the box of false perfection he'd shut   
himself in.   
  
I spent months after that sulky and only going to school  
to come home and write letters to Yuugi and Honda avoiding  
the subject of Otogi at all costs. I didn't even go to  
my own graduation ceremony out of the depression. The  
one good thing by now was that I was eighteen and now  
a legal adult. My parents had left me quite a bit of money   
and only on eighteenth birthday was I able to finally use  
it. The first thing I bought was plane tickets for Pegasus  
and myself to Egypt. It was a gift for my uncle mostly,  
he had always wanted to paint Egypt as he saw it but  
never had been willing to put the money up for the trip.  
  
I must admit the land was breathtaking and Pegasus agreed  
enough to submerge himself in nothing but sightseeing  
then painting back at the hotel what he saw.  
  
I found myself tagging along occasionally or simply   
wandering the streets looking for something to happen.  
  
And something finally did.  
  
Malik was only taller than me by an inch and he was  
actually three months younger than me. He had been  
born and raised in Egypt, his mocha tan proving it  
while his hair was a rock-star's gold that sometimes  
hide his magnificent lavender eyes.  
  
He dressed in tight jeans and a stomach baring white  
shirt with two or three gold chains on it and he had  
gripped in his hand a dagger which he was threatening  
some guy with. All in all the very vision of a street  
punk.  
  
It seemed he'd been kicked out of some bar for fighting  
and someone had followed him attacking him when his  
back was turned. I had in foolishness tried to stop  
him, getting myself cut in the process. Malik beat  
the man down in no time flat with no more than a  
scratch and before I felt myself pass out I saw  
him standing over me.  
  
"Hush, you'll wake him." hissed a female voice.  
  
"I'll damn well say anything I want, this idiot   
got hurt of his own stupid will. It's not like  
I need his help!"  
  
Blinking I opened my eyes to see Malik and a tall  
Egyptian woman arguing. I was laying on a pallet  
my wounded arm treated and bandaged. Suddenly  
Malik noticed I had waken.  
  
"About time idiot. What the hell were you doing coming  
between me and my fight?!"  
  
"I-I didn't want to see you get hurt..."  
  
"What are you, a fucking bleeding heart or something?  
It was my fight meaning one on one, whoever you are."  
  
"My name's Ryou Crawford."  
  
"I'm Malik, that's my sister if you must know."  
  
I sat up nodding to the woman as she turned to  
leave sending some-sort of warning glance to  
her younger brother. Malik rolled his eyes  
and sat on the edge of the pallet.  
  
"She's convinced I'm ether gonna kill you or  
molest you. I swear she thinks I'm insane..."  
  
My eyes went huge at his words.  
  
Malik laughed at me an evil grin plastered onto  
his features.   
  
"Well, in case you haven't notice Ryou, your damn sexy."  
  
I blushed furiously at this and this seemed to please him  
to no end. Suddenly, he was over me his hands running down  
over my clothed thighs. He shifted slightly and leaned  
down so his mouth was over mine. His kiss was bruising  
and his tongue darted swiftly licking and nipping at my lips.  
  
"Of course..."  
  
I felt his arousal brush my own. His eyes glitter impishly.  
  
"..If your willing it's not molesting, nor rape... How about it,  
hmm?"  
  
Malik and I got together like this almost everyday from then   
on. He was the first person I had been with since Otogi but  
he was the complete opposite of him. He was rough and  
tumble, a knife fighter who preferred action to talk and  
despite his argument I questioned his sanity greatly.  
  
The only thing my two lovers had in common in fact was the  
raw sexuality that seemed to flow from them like perfume.  
  
I had learned over the time though that Malik didn't want  
to hear about my troubles nor have a go at anything emotional.  
When we saw each other it was pure lust that fueled are duel  
of domination and the afternoons of mind numbing pleasure  
were all we had in common.  
  
When Pegasus and my holiday ended a few weeks later he and  
I had a finally bout of passion and I left without anything  
more from him.  
  
I hadn't been back in Japan a week before I longed again for  
my romantic exploration. I for a while entertained ideas  
of returning to Otogi knowing that he would welcome me  
with open arms but stoped realizing that he wasn't enough.  
  
I need something more real than Otogi yet at the same  
someone who was willing to be more emotional than Malik.  
  
It seemed impossible to find this type of person.  
  
By now of course Pegasus was travel happy and on his  
insistence I came with him on his next venture.  
  
Paris.  
  
The irony of going to what was thought of as the most  
romantic city in the world.  
  
I had taken to sitting in a small outdoor coffee house  
not far from are hotel, reading what ever I could find  
in English or Japanese and drinking tea.   
  
He was quite tall, taller than Otogi or Honda probably and  
perhaps the most unique looking of the bunch.  
  
His hair was artfully a mess of waist length silver hair,  
crimson-brown eyes and thin scars that ran over his right eye  
and the cheek bellow with two more over the first.  
  
He didn't look like an angel.  
  
He looked like himself only.  
  
I met him it seemed him the waiter had brought my  
bill and standing I could not find my wallet on  
me. Obviously not a good thing.  
  
"If you will allow me, Monsieur."  
  
Surprise ran through me and then a tingle of   
unexplainable delight as I saw the man  
for the first time. He handed the waiter  
a few bills and smiled softly at me.  
  
My heart skipped a beat.  
  
Suddenly it was as if we were both all alone  
in the world, just I and the stranger who  
now gracefully clasped one of my hands kissing  
it lightly.  
  
"I am Bakura, little one. Who might you be?"  
  
"I-I'm Ryou."  
  
That moment seemed to last an eternity.  
  
"Well Ryou, you should be more careful, there  
are many a thief about this part of the city.  
Leeching off all the visitors."  
  
I nodded dumbly and the man smirked patting  
my shoulder slightly.  
  
"I do hope we have a chance to talk again, Ryou."  
  
He was gone a second later and I walked back to  
my hotel distraught that he had left so suddenly.  
  
Bitterly I flopped onto my bed and I was surprised  
to feel a budge in my pocket. Frowning I pulled  
whatever it was out.   
  
It was my wallet.  
  
Flipping it open I saw my passport and IDs were still  
in place and all my money was still there minus a few  
bills. As I continued to inspect it a piece of paper  
fell out and landed on the soft bed. I picked up  
to see minute writing in English.  
  
We'll meet again. - Bakura  
  
I stared at it and slowly everything clicked into place.  
  
I leaned back against my pillows and pulled the note against  
my chest like a treasure. I sleep soundly that night, my  
dreams filled with the image of the thief Bakura and his  
rogue smile.  
  
Maybe, I had found what I had been looking for all along.  
  
~*~  
  
R&R.  
Pretty please with bishie on top? ^_~ 


End file.
